


Discovery Of One's Self

by Kiterie



Series: 100 themes [33]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-10-10
Updated: 2008-10-12
Packaged: 2017-11-28 02:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/669377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiterie/pseuds/Kiterie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto finds out who is and well was, he discovers more about who his father was, and he discovers how much his father meant to Kakashi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sorrow

"He'd be proud if he could see you right now."

Caught off guard, the young blonde spun around. "Kakashi-sensei, don't do that!" He growled. Kakashi merely smiled in response, his eye curving upward in obvious amusement. It bothered Naruto that he'd been so easily snuck up on. No matter how hard he worked, the great copy-nin could seemingly appear behind him. It unnerved and irritated him, and it didn't matter that the one doing it was Hokage. Naruto's determination to surpass his teacher seemed undercut by that one fact alone.

"Come to visit your father?" Kakashi asked, walking past him to lay a flower on the memorial stone.

"Yeah..." Naruto frowned and stared at the stone again. It had been explained to him months before, when the council had spoken to him.

\---

Kakashi, for once, hadn't been reading his book. Instead, the Rokudaime sat stiffly in his chair at the council table. Iruka laid a hand on the man's shoulder and his former teacher and team leader seemed to shake himself out of some reverie. Then, Kakashi had given a speech that sounded rehearsed, Iruka whispering in his ear whenever he paused.

Naruto was in a daze. He watched Kakashi approach him with Iruka trailing behind. "My father was..." His heart clenched both from the joy and pride he felt at the revelation, and the sorrow that suddenly seemed to overwhelm him. Until now, he had only had dreams of what his father had been like. Now, he had something more. And yet, he felt like he'd lost something that he couldn't name.

"Yes." Kakashi laid a hand on his shoulder. "Sensei never wanted you burdened by the knowledge."

Naruto swallowed, blinking back tears, overwhelmed by the shock. Then, Iruka's arms were around him, tears streaming from the chunin's eyes. Smiling, Naruto wrapped his arms around the man, taking comfort in the familiar embrace.

After awhile, his teachers lead him out of the council room where Sakura, Sai, and Sasuke joined them. Naruto grinned, laughing and shoving Sasuke before told him what he'd just found out. Sakura's eyes went wide, and Sai tilted his head to the side, considering the revelation. Sasuke shook his head and shoved Naruto back, muttering something that sounded like 'idiot.'

\---

Pushing the memories aside, Naruto studied the impassive face of the man standing beside him, but his former teacher's expression remained as it always was, unreadable. Kakashi gave away only what he chose to. Sometimes, it aggravated the blonde. Right now, however, with the anniversary of his birthday looming over him... it was a blessing.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto frowned, unsure of whether he should ask the question that had settled like a dead weight inside of his heart since he'd found out.

"He was a great man, Naruto, and I don't just mean as Hokage or as my sensei," Kakashi said as though reading his mind.

And, for once, Naruto felt at ease simply listening.


	2. Memory

Kakashi knelt in front of the chest, staring at the smoothly polished top. Then, taking a deep breath, the silver-haired nin opened it. Everything was just as it always was, and he ran his fingers over the top to dispel the jutsu. "Sensei left these in my care."

Naruto didn't answer, but he took a hesitant step forward and peered into the box. There were several photo albums laying on top, and he picked one up. The leather cover was well cared for, although the creases were deep. Settling beside Kakashi, he opened it.

"She's my mother?" His voice was calm as he traced the edge of the photo.

"Kushina." Kakashi didn't elaborate.

"What was she like?" Naruto looked up, wondering what the other man was thinking.

"You. She was like you," Kakashi chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Just as loud, just as impulsive, but slightly less dense."

Naruto scowled playfully and shoved on his sensei's arm then continued looking through the album, occasionally stopping to ask a question. Flipping the page of another album, Naruto stared at one of the photos and then up at Kakashi then squinting down at the picture again before he burst out laughing.

Kakashi snatched the album away and looked at the photo of himself. It had been taken sometime after his father had died, and he was scowling, although only his eyes were visible.

"You colored the mask on!" Naruto laughed, rolling around on the floor.

"So!" The copy-nin didn't know why he was offended, only that having his student laughing at him seemed wrong somehow. Kakashi had forgotten how, after he'd started wearing his mask, he'd gone through and very methodically blacked out all the pictures with his face showing.

He set the album aside and waited for Naruto to regain control of himself, then very carefully reached in and pulled out the one item that was most precious to him. Reluctantly, he held it out to the young blond. 

Naruto unfolded it and stood up to look at it better. His eyes went wide as he realized what it was. Hesitantly, and with Kakashi's help, he put it on. Studying himself in the mirror, he looked questioningly at his former sensei. "I really do look like him, don't I?"

He watched as Kakashi took a step back, not saying a word. Naruto took one final look before slipping it off and folding it up again, while Kakashi stared at him, unable to speak.

"You should keep it," Naruto said, holding it out.

Kakashi didn't move to accept the gift and instead stood there staring at him and frowning.

Naruto grinned and shoved it into his arms. "Besides, I'm going to get an even better one because I'm going to be the greatest hokage ever. Better than you and better than my father even! Dattebayo!"

Kakashi smiled then, accepting the gift. 'You don't just look like him,' he thought, though the words went unvoiced.


	3. Chapter 3

Minato sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the door frame. His coffee table was covered in very neat and precise stacks of photos, each sitting on top of the leather bound album it belonged to. "Those weren't yours to destroy, Kakashi."

"They were of me, and I didn't destroy them,"  the young boy said, scowling and attempting to look intimidating, despite the black marks covering his hands and the visible part of his face.

Shaking his head, the blond moved to the table and began very carefully picking the pictures up and returning them to the appropriate album. The gray-blue eyes watched him, though Kakashi didn't move to help, the boy's anger visible in the stiff way he held himself. Neither spoke and the silence dragged on as each picture was carefully put away. 

Minato stared at a photo of the two of them that Kushina had taken nearly six months ago. They'd taken him on a picnic to get him out of the oppressive atmosphere of his family home. Sakumo had slipped further into his depression, refusing to even eat the meals his son fixed for him. For a few brief hours, Kakashi had seemed almost happy again. Tears stung his eyes, and Minato brushed them away before sliding the picture back into its place.

"Sensei..." Kakashi's voice was soft, and, when the jounin looked up, his student's eyes met his for the briefest moment before the 9 year old looked away. "...I would have put them away." His young charge hung his head, looking more depressed than ashamed.

"It's alright, Kashi-kun." He pulled the unresisting boy into his arms and held him as tears streamed down his face.

"I hate him." Kakashi's voice shook, and Minato could feel a damp spot forming on his shoulder.

"I know." He knew it wasn't true, but he understood the pain and anger his student felt. Only now, staring at the marred pictures, did Minato truly understand how much it must hurt for the boy to look in the mirror every morning. "I miss him, too."


End file.
